Hall of Fame
In 1982, Pitt-Johnstown Athletic Director Ed Sherlock made a statement when he named Jodi Gault, a former standout player at Slippery Rock University and the Washington Metros and California Dreams of the Women’s Professional Basketball League (WBL), to take over the reins of a nationally known women’s basketball program established seven years earlier. Twenty-five years, 15 NCAA Tournament appearances, five regional championships and a trip to the Final-Four later, Ms. Gault built her own tradition of excellence. Her ability as a head coach was seen early as her Lady Cat teams held the No.1 ranking in NCAA Division III in two of her first three seasons.
Ms. Gault wrapped up her Pitt-Johnstown career in 2007 with a 540-156 overall record, which equates to a .776 winning percentage and 21.6 victories per season. Her 540 victories rank sixth all-time in Division II, while her winning percentage ranks 10th. Ms. Gault coached 20 of Pitt-Johnstown’s 23 All-Americans, including nine Kodak All-Americans and Mindy Young, the 1992 National Player of the Year.
After winning the Mason-Dixon Conference Championship in 1985, Ms. Gault guided the Lady Cats as the University transitioned from Division III to Division II for the next season.
One year later, Ms. Gault led the Lady Cats to their first of two-straight East Region titles and advanced to the Division II Final-Four by defeating top-ranked Delta State (MS) University in the national quarterfinals, on her way to being named the 1986-87 American Women’s Sports Federation Coach of the Year.
Following back-to-back Mideast Conference titles in 1990 and 1991, Ms. Gault was tabbed the Conference’s Coach of the Year. The Lady Cats won two more Regional championships in 1992 and 1993 and made six more NCAA Tournament appearances, including one in 2007, Ms. Gault’s final year as head coach. On November 19, 2005, Ms. Gault became just the eighth Division II coach to reach the 500-career-win mark when Pitt-Johnstown defeated Tiffin (OH) University, 81-71.
Ms. Gault was the chairperson for the Division II Kodak All-American selection committee, served on the Women’s Basketball 25th All-Anniversary Team Expert Panel and the WBCA Scholarship Award for Division II Women’s Basketball Committee.
Ms. Gault, who earned a master’s degree in athletic administration at Ohio University, also earned induction into the Slippery Rock Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Cambria County Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.
Ms. Gault, a native of Oil City, Pa., currently resides in Seneca, Pa.
“Exciting,” Ms. Gault said of her induction into the Pitt-Johnstown Athletics Hall of Fame. “I spent 25 years coaching at one University. That’s somewhat unheard of these days. I have great memories of those years. I was fortunate to coach so many great athletes and work with a number of excellent colleagues. To be honored by the University is special.”
